Healing is your birthright. When you stub your toe, your first impulse is to reach out and hold the pain, bringing soothing and relief. Reiki as a healing system is a powerful way of tapping into and refining your natural healing abilities, and in this book, we’ll look at the history, spiritual teachings and philosophy, and hands-on healing techniques of reiki. More than learning about reiki, though, the idea is to experience reiki, because it is through the embodiment of this spiritual energy in your day-to-day life that you will reap the most benefits, from physical healing and emotional balance to heightened intuition and a greater feeling of purpose and meaning.
I came to the practice of reiki after experiencing years of self-generated drama and destructive habits that left me feeling disconnected from my inner wisdom and frustrated over the aimless path that I was trudging along. Despite trying everything from yoga and psychedelics to talk therapy and systematic goal setting, I wasn’t able to make positive, lasting change in my life. A series of fortuitous events, bolstered by my previous yoga and meditation experience, led to the realization that my energy was seriously out of whack.
From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a great deal of energy. Sounds good, right? Well, yes and no, for as I was becoming painfully aware, this energy could fuel healthy, soul-affirming pursuits, or I could channel it into unhealthy patterns that were damaging to myself and the people around me. In other words, the energy itself was neutral, but because I didn’t have the self-awareness and energetic know-how to channel it effectively, the results were not always pleasant.
After yet another drama-filled year of self-induced social implosions and personal chaos, I heard about this thing called reiki, and a small, barely audible voice within urged me to look into it. Lo and behold, there just happened to be a teacher nearby, so, not really understanding why, I signed up for a level one workshop. In the months and years that followed, reiki helped me understand my own energy so that I no longer felt like a puppet being yanked by invisible strings, and now, as a reiki master with a full-time healing practice, I have been blessed with the opportunity to help others rediscover their own inner healer through hands-on and distance healing sessions, online and in-person reiki classes, and the writing of my first book, Living Reiki: Heal Yourself and Transform Your Life.
Reiki means “spiritual or universal energy,” and the word also describes a healing system, originating in Japan, that utilizes this spiritual energy for hands-on healing and spiritual growth. “Hands-on healing” refers to methods in which the hands are placed on the body or hovering slightly above it to direct the healing. This book is designed to give you a solid foundation in this healing system. Part I offers an overview of energy anatomy from a wide range of perspectives so that you can better understand what makes you tick, where your energy is flowing freely or where it might be obstructed, and different ways to heal any imbalances you find. We’ll look at fields and layers of energy, such as auras and koshas; energy centers or bodies, like the chakras; and energy pathways within the body, such as meridians and sen lines. Through a series of exercises, you’ll hone your ability to sense energy through both the physical senses and your subtle senses. Don’t be concerned if some of these practices come more naturally than others—that’s very common. You can focus a bit more effort on the senses that seem weaker to you, but there’s also nothing wrong with tapping into your strengths and working with the senses that are naturally more accessible.
In Part II, we’ll dive into the specifics of the reiki healing system, including its origins in Japan, the use of symbols and mantras, working with reiki precepts, hands-on healing and breathwork techniques, and how to incorporate reiki practice into your daily life with fun, effective programs tailored to specific goals, such as enhancing divination skills, boosting prosperity, and building a meditation practice. You’ll also learn how to create your own reiki program based on your unique goals. We’ll cover how to find a qualified reiki practitioner and tips for getting the most out of your healing session. And if you’re interested in studying reiki, we’ll talk about the different levels of instruction, reiki attunements (and whether or not they’re necessary), and how to choose the right teacher.
In Part III, we cover reiki as a profession, including how to set up a successful reiki practice, conducting healing sessions, teaching reiki, and much more. Finally, in Part IV, we look at a variety of complements to your reiki practice, from herbs and crystals to sound healing and movement practices, along with a wide range of other healing modalities that you might choose to explore. If you’re brand new to reiki, this book provides a solid foundation in core reiki teachings, the ins and outs of receiving a reiki attunement, and choosing your first class. For readers with more experience, use this book to deepen your practice, perhaps through further exploration of the reiki precepts and symbols, finding new ways to incorporate reiki into your day-to-day life, or establishing a professional healing practice.
Your energy affects every aspect of your being, from the physical to the spiritual and everything in between, so regardless of your experience level, throughout this book you’ll be learning techniques that approach healing from a holistic point of view. Rather than artificially dividing you into little bits and pieces that must be “fixed,” the practice of reiki views you as a dynamically divine whole that already contains all the necessary information to self-heal.
You can think of reiki as a powerful tool for remembering the healing wisdom that you already possess and putting this valuable knowledge to good use in order to create your best life. Reiki has the power to reconnect you with your True Self, a self that knows precisely what makes your soul feel vibrant and alive, and can guide you in making choices that are in alignment with this higher truth. Use this book to discover your True Self, and awaken the gifts, energies, and wisdom that are your birthright.